Blossoming (10) [End of Part 1]
Gahee noona led me out of the gym storage by the hand.
"I'm fine, really. I didn't get hurt anywhere."
"Who knows when you'll disappear again?"
Was I being treated like a total kid now...? Well, I had gone missing. Or maybe she was just holding on because I stayed quiet even when she grabbed my hand, thinking this was her chance.
"Taeyang!!!"
Lee Yuyeong spotted me from afar and came running over.
"What, you didn't go back to your class?"
"Nah, I was too worried, so I asked them to handle the darts without me."
Yuyeong looked a total mess. Drone fragments scattered at a distance showed just how fierce the fight had been.
"Hey! You've got a scar on your face!"
She must've collided head-on with a drone—there was a gash on Lee Yuyeong's forehead.
"What are you doing here?! You need to get to the nurse's office right now!"
"Hehe, it's okay. Taeyang's safe, that's what matters."
"...Sorry. For making you worry."
It was true she'd gone through hell because of me. Seeing a pretty girl like her scarred up didn't sit right.
"If you're really sorry, take responsibility for me."
"...Nurse's office first."
I had enough headaches from marriage jokes with just one noona like Iri noona. Oh, speak of the devil.
"Taeyang, are you okay?! No injuries?! Who was it?! Who planned this?!"
"Iri noona, calm down. It's already over..."
"DO I LOOK CALM?!"
My eardrums were gonna burst. She grabbed my shoulders hard and shook me, leaving me flustered, but thankfully Gahee noona intervened.
"Stop it—Taeyang's not in good shape right now!"
"Not in good shape?"
I was fine, but I figured I'd play it up. That might calm her down.
Iri noona let go of me and grabbed my other hand—the one not held by Gahee noona.
"Hospital first."
"Nurse's office is enough. It's just a scrape."
"...Ugh."
"Unnie... what about that guy?"
Yuyeong asked cautiously. I was curious too. How'd they take down that hulking dude?
"Huh? We scrapped a bit, then he suddenly said in Korean it was a great fight and left?"
Oh, so he spoke Korean. Probably another plant from Eunbi's mom.
"What else... oh, he offered to let me join his mafia group? We didn't talk much."
What...? Sigh~ Just let it slide. I wanted nothing more to do with that genius hacker with emotional issues or Italian mafias.
"Mafia? That's so cool!"
Yuyeong's eyes sparkled, like she'd forgotten whose side that mafia guy was on. Total airhead.
"Well, I've got someone to protect."
Iri noona turned to me and gently stroked my head with one hand.
"Right, Taeyang?"
Her eyes on me were still clouded over.
"You have to keep your promise, okay?"
"...Can we talk later? I'm kinda beat right now."
"Got it. You must be exhausted today."
"Yeah... let's talk after the festival."
Plenty of time. Iri noona didn't push further.
"What promise?"
"Oh, just something. A promise Taeyang and I made alone."
"Really? Taeyang's full of secrets."
Gahee noona's words hit a nerve, and I could only muster a bitter smile.
"Gahee, what's that doll mask you're holding?"
"Huh? Oh, just some event prop Eunbi left behind... I think the committee lent it out. Gotta return it, though."
She'd kept my secret airtight. The doll mask and vinyl bag of clothes in Gahee noona's hand. I worried Juyeon noona or Yuli might spot them and blow my cover. I just wanted to stash them in the changing room quick...
"I'll go return these clothes first. You two watch Taeyang for me."
Like she'd read my mind, Gahee noona headed off to drop them somewhere no one would see. Actually, she was probably just hiding them temporarily.
"More importantly, the committee... whoa, tons of missed calls."
Thinking about getting chewed out again gave me a headache. Even if I said I got kidnapped, the evidence was gone.
————
The three-day festival wrapped up successfully. I'd bullshitted my way through day one somehow, but with Eunbi vanishing midway, days two and three were just me, Gahee, and Juyeon noona sticking together. It'd been a chaotic mess, but it was over. Done.
And after the festival, I was...
"Milady, your dessert has arrived."
"Kyaa~!!!"
Click-click-click-
"Enjoy your time."
...dressed as a butler at home, playing butler café with noona and Yuyeong.
Continuous shutter sounds from Gahee noona's phone.
Did she really need to take that many?
"Taeyang, it suits you so well! Like you jumped out of an anime!"
"...You think? I just wanna take it off."
"No way. You're wearing it to reflect on everything you've put us through."
White noona smiled brightly, refusing to end my torment. What made this torment? Besides White noona and Juyeon noona, the other three yanderes were eyeing me like predators stalking prey—and acting like it was nothing? Yeah, that qualified.
Not just that, but standing in front of girls in this outfit was straight-up embarrassing.
"Noona, you went through this kinda humiliation for work all this time?"
"You get used to it—stops bothering you."
"I wanna try a maid outfit too."
"The maid outfit's already returned, Yuyeong."
"Oh, really? Bummer."
Yuyeong was something else. She pulled off stuff that'd mortify anyone without batting an eye. Shooting hot-blooded youth dramas, battle series, and moe shows solo? Talent.
"It suits you fine, so why complain? Kim Taeyang, wanna be our house butler?"
"Pass."
What kinda normal family hires a butler?
"I could pay a bit above minimum wage."
"No thanks. Where would the money even come from?"
"Me too!! Taeyang, noona'll pay you five times the hourly!"
Now even the real chaebol heiress jumped in. Yeah, Gahee noona could probably afford a butler no problem.
"Unnie, no fair! Trying to hog Taeyang all to yourself. Ugh... I don't have money."
A market formed around me as the product. And demand was insane.
"Taeyang'll never starve, huh~"
"White noona. You cool laughing while your real little bro gets this treatment?"
"Yup."
Her thoughtlessly bright reply made me just accept it.
"Haa~ when does this end?"
"Taeyang, it suits you—why fight it? Just enjoy."
"Juyeon noona, don't spectate like it's a fire across the river."
She smirked at my glare.
"Think positive. You've shot up lately—looking way cooler."
"...Thanks. Nice of you to say."
I usually just got "cute" from her, so "cool" felt fresh.
"'Nice of you'? I mean it— you're tall and handsome now."
"...What?"
"Juyeon?"
"...Unnie?"
"Oh my!..."
The chatter died suddenly.
"Huh? Noonas, what's up?"
Everyone stared blankly at Juyeon noona. Except White noona, who just covered her mouth in surprise.
"No! I mean!! Not like you're thinking!!"
Juyeon noona's face flushed as she denied it fiercely. The vibe turned weird.
"What's with everyone?"
She complimented me a bit—overreacting much? White noona gave me a complex look.
"Taeyang, must be tough."
"...Yeah, plenty tough."
Whatever it was, finally my noona got it. I just wanted out of this butler getup.
"Right! Y-yeah! Taeyang is cool!"
"Juyeon unnie's right!"
"Still cute even tall, though."
They forced the mood bright again. But cute even tall? When would I shake this "cute" bias?
"Kim Taeyang-ssi, tea's out."
"Yes~ Coming~"
Anyway, I'd be serving the noonas to pay off my karma for a while.
————
Time flew—the festival ended, finals wrapped up. Chilly winds now demanded layers. Summer felt like yesterday. Reflecting now, so much had happened. They say time speeds up as you age—already feeling it? Or did it accelerate for everyone later?
One thing was sure.
"Kim Taeyang! What about our promise?!"
Seeing Iri noona approach smiling, time suddenly slowed.
"Haha, Iri noona. Kinda abrupt without a hello?"
High school entrance exams loomed, so I'd stayed after for extra study—and bumped into her post-club. No one around.
"You'll really do whatever noona wants, right?"
"Did I say that?"
"You definitely said—if something happens to you, transfer or marriage, whatever I want."
Don't stare so scary, Iri noona.
"Ahaha, but nothing really hap—"
"......"
"...ened. Yeah, something did. That was rough."
"Then..."
Sigh~ Stay like this, I'd get kidnapped again. Had to convince her.
"But too bad—the promise is void now."
"What're you talking about?"
She stepped closer; I backed up instinctively.
"Kim Taeyang, running?"
"No, it's... our promise hinged on me going to Elmae High."
I pulled up my phone, showing the submitted Pulkkot High online app.
"So, promise invalid."
"Ha?"
Her scoff screamed disbelief and annoyance. Time to bolt. She'd accept it eventually.
"Gotta grab Pulkkot entrance prep books! Bye!!!"
"Hey, Kim Taeyang!!"
————
Definite winter, biting winds. High school exams felt lighter than college ones, but tension hung like the chill.
Still, they filled spots via waitlists. Unless super unlucky, most got their pick. Post-exam faces looked relieved.
"Ugh... Taeyang, what if I fail?"
"See ya next year."
"Eek... meanie."
Letting me joke casually with Yuyeong like this.
(She'd almost solo-applied to Elmae without telling me. Only one app per person here—real chance to ditch her.)
"C'mon~ let's go to school together~"
"Creepy—back off."
"Hehe, you say that, but you changed your mind in the end."
Should've kept quiet. Nah. Didn't want her at a school she'd hate alone, blocking her soccer manager dreams. Just duty to warn.
"Hope we're in the same class."
"Same class, I'll spread you're an otaku."
"Eek~ guess no choice then. Only friend is you, so stuck together three years."
She calls herself otaku but rags on otakus? And unbeknownst to her, the sharp ones already knew.
Stuff I'd overheard girls saying without Yuyeong around. She probably didn't know kids ignore it unless told directly.
"Make other otaku friends besides me."
"Hmm... maybe? Manga club looked fun. But wanna do soccer manager too... hmm..."
While Yuyeong pondered solo, I checked my phone. Text the noonas I did okay on exams—they'd be too distracted otherwise.
Opened it to a chat.
Middle school exam day meant high school winter break ceremony. Noonas heading home too.
Swiped past—SNS post alert. Tapped absentmindedly. Just GlassMental in her feels. Fewer late-night posts lately, less content.
Scrolled back—landed on FridayAngel's main page.
"Friday... Angel?"
Yuyeong's voice startled me; I slammed the phone shut.
"Why hide in a panic?"
"Don't peek at other people's phones."
"Wasn't peeking on purpose—just caught my eye."
(I'd covered the sides so screen wouldn't show.)
"Hmm~ Taeyang does SNS too~"
"Yuyeong. Don't tell the noonas or anyone."
"Okay. FridayAngel."
"...Thanks."
"Your secret's safe. FridayAngel."
This...
"Don't call me that nickname either."
"Why? Embarrassed to be FridayAngel?"
"I said don't."
"Fine... wanna watch anime at my place then?"
"What?"
Speechless. She took it as rejection—or mischief kicked in.
"See ya tomorrow! FridayAngel-nim~!!"
She bolted.
"Hey! Cut it out!! Stop!!!"
"Hehe! Don't get mad, FridayAngel-nim!!"
"Lee Yuyeong, you're dead if I catch you!!"
"FridayAngel's gonna kill someone~!"
"I'll watch anime!!"
"For real?"
Should've tricked her into Elmae?
"Hoo~ Finally stopping, huh? You little—"
"Hehe, don't be so mad."
Anyway... the long, eventful year—and half the Love Chain story—ended. Winter froze my hands solid, but the yandere heroines stayed by my side.
And come spring when the grass bloomed, I'd head to high school with the yandere heroines.
————
"Haa, cold... thighs freezing..."
Hello. This is Cho Yuli.
Lately the weather's turned really chilly, and I'm worried FridayAngel-nim might catch a cold.
Anyway, today I'm heading home, endlessly awaiting FridayAngel-nim's reply like always.
Break ceremony, so early dismissal.
"No reply yet. Studying?"
He's busy, sure. But it's fine. FridayAngel-nim's always by my side, right?
I can wait forever for replies. We chat, share hearts, and someday...
Yes, someday we'll meet face-to-face. No masks, smiling eye-to-eye, fallen angel and angel overcoming pains together—that day, this GlassMental awaits.
Got lost in thought. Time to pocket the phone and head home. Cold out.
I hunch against the chill, hurrying my steps.
"Hey! Stop right there!!"
World's still noisy as ever. That sprinting normie couple's loud too. Would be nice if they exploded for loner gloom-girls like me.
Wait, are they exploding? Screaming like that.
"Hehe! Don't get mad, FridayAngel-nim!!"
Why so... loud...
"Friday Angel?"
Did I mishear?
"FridayAngel's gonna kill someone~!"
What's going on? Huh? Those two...
Turning at "FridayAngel," my eyes caught a blond, tanned guy—my friend's scary little brother.
[End of Part 1.]